Sixers NBA Draft profile: Aaron Nesmith

Strengths

Nesmith is consistently billed as the top shooter in this year’s class, and he has earned that label. With deep range, sugar-sweet mechanics, and plenty of shot diversity, it’s not hard to fit Nesmith into the schematics of a modern-day offense.

He can fly around screens and shoot on the move. He can pull up or side-step into 3s off the dribble. Or, you can simply stash him in the corner and bank on spot-up jumpers. Put Nesmith in a position to take 3s, and he will most likely deliver.

Beyond his 3-point stroke, Nesmith is good at leveraging his gravity as a shooter.  He can beat closeouts with one-dribble pull-ups or basic reads as a passer off penetration. He isn’t the best finisher at the rim, but his touch should breed confidence.

Nesmith is a winning offensive player. He can impact the game without the basketball, whether it’s with the attention he commands as a shooter, or his generally unselfish approach to team offense. He does what he can to contribute, and he’s a hand-in-glove fit next to more ball-dominant centerpieces on offense.

On the defensive end, Nesmith has developed a solid reputation. He’s 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and a muscular 213-pound frame. He’s not an elite athlete, but he’s capable of defending multiple positions and holding his own on switches. His basketball I.Q. and instincts tend to produce positive moments on that end.